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1930

Milan

An Italian speakeasy that transforms classic dishes into wondrous cocktails

Ranked in The World's 50 Best Bars list since 2019, Milan's clandestine cocktail haven, 1930, moved to a new location this year in the Colonne di San Lorenzo neighbourhood. It's now in the basement of Mag La Pusterla, which used to be a historical Milanese cafe. The bar remains an exclusive club, with only its 193 members able to book in advance. Other hopeful patrons can have a drink at Mag (it shares ownership with 1930) and ask if there's a spot for them downstairs. If space allows, a host will lead them to the secret entrance.

The new location greets guests with exposed brick vaults and low lighting, a fitting backdrop for the Prohibition-era mystique that surrounds 1930. While classics from a bygone age are flawlessly executed by the team, 1930 is rightly famous for cocktails that are truly from the 21st century. Created under the supervision of co-owner and head bartender Benjamin Cavagna, the latest menu 1930 à la carte blurs the line between food and mixology.

Divided into five sections mimicking a restaurant menu – from appetizers to desserts – it features iconoclastic drinks such as Tortellini in Brodo, a reinterpretation of the boulevardier made with nutmeg-infused whiskey and served, much like the pasta dish it's named after, in a hot chicken broth. Another standout is the Parmigiano Colada, where the tropical classic is enhanced with parmesan cheese foam, truffle oil and pepper. 

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